Why You Should Get Out to See the Buck Moon Tonight

Much to the delight of astronomers who love warm weather, the Buck Moon will make its way across the sky on Tuesday night.

Although there’s nothing particularly unusual about the Buck Moon—it’s just the name for July’s full moon—it’s the perfect opportunity to go outside and watch the sky on a warm summer evening.

The moon will reach its peak fullness at 6:57 p.m. ET. But at that time, it won’t be visible to those in North America because, erm, it’s daylight. The moon will start rising in our sky around dusk and reach its peak in the sky around midnight. It will appear full all night.

The Buck Moon—or, less excitingly, the July full moon—is named after the deer because bucks generally start growing their antlers around this time of year. (It’s an old English thing, just roll with it.)

It can also be called the Thunder Moon or Hay Moon because of July’s frequent thunderstorms and farmers’ subsequent difficulties filling their barns with hay.

Regardless of its name, tonight’s warm temperatures, fairly clear skies, and bright moon make it the perfect night to go out and stargaze. So find a patch of grass, bring a picnic and maybe resist the urge to go buck wild.